WHAT IS WHOLE CROPS?
Whole Crops works with a diverse array of international organizations, businesses, and institutions who want to increase food access through a reduction of on farm food loss. By considering the bioregions within which farms operate and food insecure people live, connections can be made that revitalize communities, build trusting relationships, and inspire a more equitable food economy. WholeCrops catalyzes the relationships between farms and potential food rescuers or buyers of excess crops, distribution companies, value-add processing and institutions. WholeCrops also supports the supply chain connectivity allowing local food to enter the mainstream food system, by mapping distribution and storage opportunities
VALUES
Understanding where our food comes from is essential to making the informed decisions of what to feed our families, whether it is from a local farmers' market or a complex supply chain for regenerative organic agriculture from Mexico. Whole Crops supports a healthy diet and planet for all, making human and technology connections in the food system that observe values of seasonality, resourcefulness, transparency, and nutrition.
EDUCATION
High School, Aula Escola Europea, Barcelona, Spain '00
BA, Human Ecology, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME '06
MSc, International Food Business and Consumer Studies, University of Kassel, DE '12
WORK EXPERIENCE
Fink Family Foundation Fellow - 2018 - current
Currently split between Nogales, Arizona and Eagle River Valley, Colorado, the fellowship is based on short and mid term interventions to support innovative non-profit food projects. The goals range from facilitation of networks and coalitions, values alignment within organizations, collaborative supply chain management, and food security solution design.
World Wildlife Fund - Whole Crops Harvest Pilot - 2018
USDA Scaling up for Growth - Local Food Promotions Project Grant 2017 - 2018
In partnership with 7 businesses and non-profits in Portland, ME a three year collaborative food shed design and implementation project was designed to increase local food in the main stream food system. We explored Spoiler Alert technology for on-farm surplus management, and traced the incremental and multiplier value generated by placing local surplus product in institutional and value-add kitchens.
Maine Gleaning Network - Healthy Acadia, US '13 - current
After integrating food recovery systems into farm practices and 15 food pantries and meal sites in Hancock County, a Statewide network of organizations getting gleaning programs started formed a Network. Healthy Acadia's Gleaning Initiative has influenced how food rescue is perceived and practiced statewide, and has brought Maine into the national conversation on food surplus. Coordinating the Maine Gleaning Network and the Food Recovery Coalition has led to a statewide integration of gleaning as an important conversation started around food access best practices.
Food Waste Specialist - Spora Social Consulting, Barcelona, Spain '12 -'13
After my Msc. Thesis on "Food waste management in the retail sector: the role of quality managers" was completed, in collaboration with the Spanish Association of Businesses (AECOC), I was hired by Spora Sinergies to develop their food waste professional network in Barcelona, leading to study of food waste in the Mercabarna Central Market (BCN), as well as a partnership with LeanPath now operating with Spora in Spain
Human Ecology and Sustainability Manager - SinMas, SL, Barcelona, Spain '10 - 12'
During my MSc International Food Business and Consumer Studies, University of Kassel, Witzenhausen, Germany '10 -'12 I worked in Barcelona, Spain to help manage an affordable organic retail store chain called "Without More" (www.sinmas.info/es). We diverted surplus product from a Spanish/Swiss Organic produce value chain, to create affordable neighborhood markets in Barcelona, hiring for social value, and educating about healthy food systems.